


Stop Fronting

by shardmind



Category: GOT7
Genre: 2jae is so real, M/M, jinyoung is a traitor, no one knows what mark's deal is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 11:15:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3527234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shardmind/pseuds/shardmind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Youngjae wants to work all day smelling like a sweaty gym locker then that’s his business but Im Jaebum is Not about that life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stop Fronting

**Author's Note:**

> just a quick one!  
> YJ is 18 and life is good.

 

It’s 5:37 and Jaebum admits defeat and nuzzles into Youngjae’s shoulder out of habit. Youngjae isn’t particularly fond of mornings (read: he hates them) but there’s something about waking up in the arms of someone else that makes 5am a little more bearable... not that Youngjae ever wakes up at 5am, or at all. There’s simply nothing left to do. Practice starts at 6:30, followed by schedules, followed by more schedules, followed by more practice, followed by a nap around 5pm, followed by more practice and finally freedom until 6:30 the following morning and by the rate of things, Youngjae is going to attack this unshowered and Jaebum refuses to sleep next to him with his stink after a full day’s work. Rooming with Choi Youngjae is a dirty job but, like any job, someone’s got to do it. He’s just glad it’s him and not Jackson. Jackson doesn’t give a shit if anyone else showers as long as he gets to go first.  
  
By 5:48, Jaebum has completely given up and leaves to take his own shower. If Youngjae wants to work all day smelling like a sweaty gym locker then that’s his business but Im Jaebum is not about that life.  
  
The showers they take are short due to a combination of having too many members and not enough hot water so Jaebum always sets a 5 minute timer on his phone. He’s responsible like that. It doesn’t usually take that long mind you; ever since they cut his hair shorter, there’s no need for him to use conditioner every day. He’s midway through rinsing off what’s left of his shampoo by the time someone else barges in.  
  
“Sorry hyung,” Of course it’s Youngjae, everyone else is in the living room arguing over who has shotgun or what cereal they get next or who has to buy dinner this time around. You know, Normal People Stuff. “I don’t wanna be rude but I really gotta pee.” There’s a zip, a tinkle and a long drawn out sigh before Jaebum even has time to protest. Instead he mutters “Make it quick.” because what else is he meant to say? For the almost opaque frosted glass, he is thankful. separating him from his reluctantly awake roommate-and-sometimes-snuggle-buddy because, despite the fact that Choi Youngjae has probably seen and/or felt his dick before due to the fact they share a mattress, Choi Youngjae is also really cute and Jaebum doesn’t want to think about that while he’s stood stark naked with lukewarm water pelting down his back as the reason for his near constant confusion in regards to his sexuality stands not three feet away with his pyjama pants around his knees. Yeah, Jaebum is super thankful for that glass.  
  
When Youngjae flushes, the water hitting Jaebum’s shoulders turns to ice. He’s kind of glad. The alarm on his phone rings once and then cuts off half way through the second, as if stopped.   
  
“It’s okay, hyung.” Youngjae calls, slipping through the bathroom door. “You can have another five minutes on me.”  
  
*  
  
In 2012, Im Jaebum debuted with Park Jinyoung as one half of pop sensation double act, JJProject. By that point he already knew more than half of the current members of GOT7. Not Youngjae, though. Youngjae was one of those fast track trainees, thrust into a group and expected to be the missing piece that cemented them together. Yeah, like that was ever going to work. Luckily – and much to Jaebum’s surprise – Youngjae was actually a nice kid; fresh faced and attentive, he legitimately gave a shit about people other than himself. Such a strange and refreshing thing to see in the business. It paid off too. Upon GOT7’s debut, they actually looked like a group. Not just a bunch of kids dressed up and messed up and thrust on stage to do some sick imitation of hip hop choreography. Jaebum wasn’t laying the blame on Youngjae for that but he certainly helped. There’s just something about him, even now. A positive vibe that comes across in everything he does. Polite, kind hearted and genuinely good company.   
  
Im Jaebum, one half of pop sensation double act, JJProject, Leader of JYP’s newest boy group GOT7, was fucked from the start.   
  
It’s not that he’s gay, because he isn’t. Jaebum isn’t anything or, more accurately, he doesn’t know what he is. Sometimes he wants to tell Bae Suzy that she’s beautiful and that they should go out for dinner after practice one day and sometimes having Youngjae tucked into his arms, legs tangled together as they drift off to sleep in the early hours is all Jaebum could ever want and there aren’t any labels for that.  
  
*  
  
“Youngjae? You awake?” It’s almost three in the morning, a relatively early night for artists preparing for a concert and a comeback but JYP does like to treat them to the finer things in life for their good behaviour. Sleep, for example. Jaebum knows he’s awake, but it’s always polite to ask. Youngjae rolls over so they’re facing one another, faces inches apart. Jaebum’s heart is in his throat and he swallows it down along with his pride.  
  
“I’m tired, but yeah. What’s up?” In their room, it’s pitch black and all Jaebum can see is platinum blonde hair, mussed up on one side from where it was resting on his pillow.   
  
At the back of his throat, all his confessions die. Youngjae stares back at him with lidded tired eyes and there’s nothing he can do to stop the hand that reaches to brush the stray eyelash from his roommate’s face. It’s quiet and awkward and there are so many things that Jaebum wishes he could say but he is 1) an idiot and 2) he can’t really remember how to speak. It’s the little things – the unabashed skinship, the nail biting that he constantly berates himself for, the messy morning hair – that make Jaebum’s heart warm, the innocence that underlies everything else. Jaebum finds himself melting every time. And to think he used to be so foul tempered.   
  
He still has nothing to say and Youngjae yawns, showing the wire on the back of his teeth from where his braces used to sit.   
  
“You’re hogging the covers again.” He isn’t but Jaebum had nothing else to say.  
  
“My bad. I’m sorry.” Youngjae shuffles closer, bringing with him an extra few inches of blanket that Jaebum doesn’t really need.   
  
*  
  
When they debuted as JJProject, Jinyoung gripped their hands together tightly and made Jaebum promise that they’d be there for each other through everything. “We can make this work,” He’d said, mic tape pulling away from the skin of his cheek. “You and me. We got each other’s backs, right?”   
  
Two years later, not much has changed.  
  
There’s a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf not too far from the JYPE building, tucked away into the bustle of Apgujeong Rodeo. It’s far enough away to give the illusion of freedom on a busy afternoon, but close enough to rush back before anyone gets too mad about skipping out on training for a half hour. Caffeine based apologies are always accepted with much gratitude.   
  
It was Jinyoung’s idea to ditch their 9:15 etiquette tutoring for coffee and, being the responsible leader he is, Jaebum went along to supervise.  _Who needs etiquette anyway?_  He thinks, watching as Jinyoung scoops the cream of the top of his iced frappe with his fingers. He didn’t expect an inquisition, but then again no one does.   
  
“So when were you going to tell me?” The question is met by silence, partly because Jinyoung’s speech was muffled by his cream coated fingers and partly because one of Youngjae’s fansites just updated and Im Jaebum is Definitely not a member, nor was he loading a high quality Picture of Youngjae’s eye mole at the time. Who needs etiquette anyway, right? Under the table, Jinyoung delivers a sharp kick to Jaebum’s shin. “Well?”   
  
“Well what?”   
  
“When were you going to tell me about your thing for Choi ‘Cucumber Hater’ Youngjae?”   
  
When Jaebum was in high school, he was told that he was frustratingly hard to read. Park Jinyoung is an idiot at times and incredibly annoying at all others but if there’s one redeeming quality about him that doesn’t stem from his ability to look good in any situation ever (an admirable feat), it’s that he can read Jaebum like a book. Not even a hard book. Something a 4th grader would pick from the bookshelf, scan over, and put back because it looks too easy.  
  
There’s no point in denying it.   
  
“It just sort of happened.” Thinking back to when they first found out their living arrangements and the fact that he would have to share his bed, Jaebum remembers the tremble of excitement along the length of his spine. Then, he hadn’t know what that meant. Things are a little clearer now. It’s true what they say – Ignorance really is bliss. “I don’t know if I’m– y’know. I don’t even like gochujang.”  
  
“But you like him, right?”   
  
“Yeah. Does that… weird you out?”  
  
“Should it?” Unfazed, Jinyoung finally starts to sip on his iced coffee, having finished all the cream. Of course he wouldn’t care. He spends his spare time attached to Mark’s side like a leech. In constant receipt of his affection. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”  
  
Another silence falls, only occasionally interrupted by the slurp of Jinyoung’s straw.   
  
*  
  
Afternoon practice had been cut short, much to everyone’s surprise, significantly shortening the length of their day by about four hours. Free time isn’t something Jaebum gets a whole lot of so, when he stumbles upon freedom, he doesn’t take it for granted. Jackson gathers the rest of the group and drags them all out for shabu, leaving their leader time to actually relax, unwind, sleep. Well… not all of them.   
  
“I can’t believe you skipped out on etiquette,” Youngjae whines, towelling his damp hair a little before flopping down beside a napping Jaebum on their shared mattress. “And didn’t invite me. Im Jaebum, I thought we were friends.”   
  
The shorts he’s wearing belong to Jackson and the oversized tee used to belong to Mark and Jaebum wonders if Youngjae would ever wear something of his. He probably would. Youngjae has a tendency to wear every item of clothing he owns before doing laundry.  
  
“You need them.” Jaebum pulls himself up until he’s sitting, legs crossed, on the mattress and fumbles around with his phone, attempting to pull up a picture of Youngjae picking his nose in public without revealing that Jaebum has a locked folder named ‘weird pics of cyj tht r endearing and cute’. It’s not like it’s the only member-centric folder on his cell, there’s a pretty bulky collection of Jinyoung pictures under the title ‘blackmail resources’ and a steadily growing visual documentation of the various stages of Jackson Wang under the influence of anything harder than chocolate milkshake. He slides his phone across the mattress.  
  
Youngjae inspects the image for a second before trying to recreate it in the form of a selca on Jaebum’s phone. Yet another to save to the folder. “But I still look good, right?”   
  
“I guess.” Jaebum begrudgingly agrees, watching the focus of his affection pout for the camera – his camera – and wishing he had as much confidence as everyone seems to think.   
  
It’s seeing Youngjae like this that makes him feel… something. There are probably words for it somewhere but nothing springs to mind. Just the sensation of being completely at ease; comfortable with someone else in the world. Being able to let down his guard and yet, wanting just a little more. It’s not about sex or control, it’s about Jaebum and Youngjae and the massive question mark that’s been sat between them for as long as he can remember. He wants to change it, that question mark, into an exclamation point or a heart eyes emoji or something less ambiguous and more concrete. He wants to hold Youngjae in his arms and for it to actually mean something more than just roommates.  
  
Youngjae rolls so he’s no longer on his back and Jaebum can see how his hair hangs in his eyes. It’s cute. Choi Youngjae is cute and innocent and naïve and unsure of himself sometimes and pouty and positive and precious and everything and–  
  
“I like you.”  
  
Jaebum doesn’t realise what he’s said until Youngjae’s repeating it back to him, a cute furrow in his brow halfway hidden by bleached bangs. "I like you?”  
  
“Yeah, I– I guess.” His voice catches and he stutters but it’s out there now. There’s no going back from this.  
  
When Jaebum had fantasized about the reaction to his inevitable confession, none of this was what he expected. Youngjae pulls himself up, sitting opposite Jaebum looking a little surprised and maybe a little confused but mostly amused. His shorts ride up his thighs and it’s hard not to stare, skin milk white, flaw free and probably highly sensitive. It’s really hard. “I guess?”   
  
“Yes. Okay? Why all the questions?”   
  
“I don’t know.” He shrugs, suddenly focused on playing with the hem of his shirt. “Jinyoung told me but I didn’t actually think you’d say it!”  
  
“Jinyoung–” Subconsciously, Jaebum adds devil horns to every memory he has of Park Jinyoung in the history of ever. The traitor. Jinyoung always plays for both teams, this clearly makes no exception. Fucking traitor.  
  
“Yeah. He told me to quit playing and just tell you.”  
  
“Wait… tell me what?”   
  
“I like you.” Youngjae blushes and a part of Jaebum shatters.  
  
“I like you?”  
  
“Look who’s asking questions now, hyung.” Aching to touch, Jaebum watches as the neckline of Youngjae’s borrowed shirt slips a little further down his shoulder. How did he get so close? With faint shadows cast in the hollows of his collarbones, he’s never looked more delicious. There’s no other word for it. A small part of him wishes he’d taken Jackson up on the offer of hotpot because now he’s _starving_. Although prime beef is probably the wrong kind of meat. His knee knocks against Youngjae’s by accident, as the younger attempts to get even closer.  
  
“Not hyung,” He breathes, barely a whisper, trying to think of something, anything, other than the racing of his heart and how good Youngjae would look beneath him, on top of him, all over him. “Just Jaebum.”   
  
“Jaebum, would it be weird if I kissed you?” Youngjae’s looking down at him from where he’s kneeling, eyes dark and hungry. He’s still getting closer and the peppermint on his breath permeates the air. In all the time they’ve shared the same bed, he’s never been so bold. It lights something in Jaebum’s gut. Something he’s been denying for a while.  
  
The answer lingers on his tongue for a while, nervous and excited all at the same time. “Probably.”  
  
The fact that Jaebum can feel the pout settle one Youngjae’s lips should probably give an indication of how close he is but the millimetres separating them feel like miles and Jaebum wants nothing more than to pull them together. Making Youngjae work for it, however, is something he wants more. “Can I?”   
  
“I don’t know. Can you?”   
  
Apparently, he can. Youngjae clings while he kisses, like he’s relying on Jaebum to keep him afloat and Jaebum clings right back, hands finding purchase on his slim waist. It’s a little sloppy and rough and not really what Jaebum thought it would be, but to feel Youngjae against him, moulding to him and reciprocating everything Jaebum has kept bottled up for what feels like aeons – there’s no comparing to that.   
  
His lungs burn and Youngjae lets out a breathless laugh against Jaebum’s lips. “I guess I can.” He mumbles, before placing a much gentler kiss against the corner of Jaebum’s mouth. And another. And another. Smirking into it, Jaebum kisses right back  
  
---  
  
**Author's Note:**

> this is another example of me being terrible at titles. there's a cannibalism reference in there somewhere for ebie who helped me 2 no end and i beg u pls to get into got7 and beta my fics i need help you are my one true savior, special mention to the wonderful teddy who read through this multiple times and offered priceless advice even when she was so busy with her own work YOU'RE A STAR, ty to got7 tlist and finally a HUGE belated happy birthday 2 nic!!! who is always there to recieve my 2jae/layhan/xiuhan outbursts! i love u babe.


End file.
